1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable training pitching mound comprising at least two interconnectable component mound sections, which are interconnected when the pitching mound is to be assembled, and which are disconnected for portability of the pitching mound, each said component mound section having an adjacent recess, and a pitching rubber for interconnecting said at least two interconnectable component mound sections, said pitching rubber fitting within said adjacent recess of each of said component mound sections when assembled.
2. The Prior Art
The portable pitching training mound is a useful concept in teaching a child, beginning with his first days of Little League, the correct way to pitch a baseball. Most children start their learning with an enthusiastic adult teaching them how to pitch. Most fathers and coaches are capable of teaching the children, but they are teaching the children in their most formative years to throw a ball on flat ground. There is a big difference between throwing a strike on flat land and throwing a strike from a mound. It seems to be illogical to teach children something about pitching that is erroneous and will need to be totally revised. There is much time and training lost, especially if the child desires to pitch in Little League.
The following U.S. patents show various examples of portable pitching mounds: the Boltz U.S. Pat. No. 2,156,469, the Friedman U.S. Pat. No. 3,236,520, the Goedders U.S. Pat. No. 3,479,028, the Perry U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,285, and the Goedders U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,223.
The Goedders U.S. Pat. No. 3,479,028 shows that the pitching plate or rubber 36 can be secured by bolts 38 to the body 20 of the portable pitching mound. This patent also shows that there are depressions 42 around the periphery of the shell 20 and each has an opening 44 in which a threaded anchor bolt 46 is inserted for securing the pitching mound to the ground.
The Perry U.S. Patent shows having reinforcing ribs integrally attached to the bottom surface of the pitching mound in order to provide a strengthening and supporting understructure for the portable pitching mound.